Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-02-17
SAVED BY SCIENCE.
Remarkable Surgical Feat by q Gin.
cinnati surgeon.


Remarkable Surgical Feat by Cin-
+, cinnati surgeon.
One of the rarest and most dangerous
operations in the whole scope of surgery
has lately been performed at tho Gin.
cinnati Hospital. 1t consisted in re-
moving about three inches Of the back
bone and exposing the spinal cord. The
patient was a young colored man about
Il years of age. When first adm tied
to the hospital he was suffering from a
terrible disease which had broken out
over the head, neck and back in the
form of large assesses. the chief one of
which was about the middle of the
back. and had eaten away the backbone
to considerable extent The poor fel.
/ low could not lie in the recumbent
posture nor on his side in consequence
OF the extreme pain attending such a
position, and was compelled to lie all
, the while on his face. Slowly he had
lost the power of motion and of sensa-
ton in his legs, so that he was COM
pletely paralyzed from the body down.
He could neither sit nor stand, and
could only move himself in bed with
assistance. Thus terribly afflicted, he
bore his sufferings with fortitude
worthy an older man than he, and was
very cheerful withal. Internal treat
ment had no effect whatever, and then
it became necessary to explore the alb
scesses. On puncturing the one on the
back some offensive pus escaped. and
on introducing the finger the dead and
decayed bone could be plainly felt. 1t
was decided that his only chance OF
life lay in an operation for the removal
of part of the backbone so as to stop
the process of decay. The operation
and its dangers were laid before the
young man, and in the face of it all he
resolved to undergo the hazardous trial,
as it was choice between life and
death. He had wasted away into
a mere skeleton, and his trembling,
emaciated form seemed scarcely able
to endure such terrible ordeal.
The patient was placed on the table
and given ether until he was soundly
asleep. He was then turned on his
face and the plucky surgeon made an
incision right down On the spine. A
large quantity of pus was revealed,
and the cavity was sponged out care
fully in order to see just where the knife
was going. In this region where one
slip of the knife or one false move
would have been fatal to the patient
the surgeon with chisel and hammer
went down on the bone until he cut
out all that which was in any way af-
fected, never touching the spinal cord.
There lay the white shining cord at the
bottom of the wound in all its pristine
beauty, and not scratch marred it's
surface. The operator smiled with
complaissance when he saw how nicely
he had accomplished his purpose with
out an evil. He had removed the
cause of the suppurati hence the alb.
scess would Disappear, He had also
removed the cause of the paralysis,
and felt assured that power would now
return to the paralyzed legs; and.
more than all, he knew time would
accomplish the filing up of the
place where the bone had formerly
been. The patient reacted from the
ether and was placed in bed on his face.
In three days motion returned to the
legs, and he was able to move his feet
the first time in nearly year. About
the same time sensation began to re-
turn in the limbs. In about three weeks
he could bear some weight on his legs,
and at this time he assumed the posi-
ton on his breast and knees which he
has kept ever since. In this strange
posture he sleeps for hours, seemingly
as well as the other patients about him.
He at length became strong enough to
stand, with assistance, and take a step
or two. He is now able to walk to the
end of the ward and sit down IN char
with comfort. OF course his back is yet
weak, and probably never will regain
its former power, but he will be a use
full man. The wound has gradually
closed up. leaving only slight scar,
and causes him little or no pain. His
appetite has returned and he eats as
much as a laboring man. and is fat and
hearty. Through it all he has retained
this irksome position and subjected |
himself to the frequent examination and
dressing OF the wound without word.
His hardy courage and iron will are to
be adm red, and the surgeon who thus
braved death with the knife, for his fell
low.cfeature may feel justly proud Of
his success.